Silver Lotus Wedding Photography - Indianapolis

The company has obviously gone through many difficult challenges in the past several months but we believe we are all on track again.   Read down and you will see that we now have two kids to support.

We never missed a wedding amid the tragedy but we must say, we apologize for some of the lengthy delays in getting albums done in a timely way.  I hope everyone understands as I have received much support through everything that has happened.

If you are still waiting, no need to worry.  We are almost caught up on everything.

We have been staying busy all year photographing weddings and would like to stay busy for 2009 so please take a look at what we have to offer.

Thank you!

Photojournalism – True photojournalism would be able to tell a thousand words in a single shot.  It doesn’t mean it is black & white and it isn’t detail imagery.  It should be able to show anyone looking at the image exactly what is going on while maintaining an artistic feel and lack of photographer involvement.  Many photographers claiming to be photojournalists do so because it is easy to hide a lack of technical knowledge but many true photojournalists do exist.  Look for proper detail in the bright portions of dresses because there really is no excuse for improper exposure and the inability to see the detail in your dress you spent so much money on.  A good photojournalist will always seem to know when to shoot; the differences between them seem to come from their technical refinement and the angles they use to distinguish themselves from others.

Traditional – While many people will say they don’t like traditional, the majority always ask for some traditional photography.  The negative stigma surrounding traditional photography I believe have always come from the amount of time photographers take doing the “formals”.  I hear horror stories of standing at the altar for 3 hours.  That is a sign of not a traditional photographer but just a bad photographer.  I think many photographers fall into this category in central Indiana. 

Illustrative – Detail shots such as the bead work of a dress, just the rings, just the shoes, and close up shooting that really only makes sense when combined with other imagery truly pass as illustrative photography.  Many photographers shoot close ups of detail images.  Their abilities as a photographer can really shine through in these images.  You should look for the clarity in the subject and the styling of the lighting used.

Classical Portraiture – Not the same as traditional but it is posed elegantly and technically refined; when done correctly it is also very flattering.  The best photographers in central Indiana that have trained to shoot Classical Portraiture that I know would be Larry Seidman, Mark Dutkevitch, Rich Walton, Nancy Bailey-Pratt and myself - Joe at Silver Lotus Photography .  All of those photographers have also cross trained to photograph other styles as well.

Documentary – Just as described, a way of photographing exactly what is happening without manipulating the day.  Many photographers try to use this interchangeably with Photojournalism even though they are not really the same.

Fashion – A modern way of doing refined portrait work emphasizing modern moods toward photography emphasizing the use of flattering or dramatic lighting.  If someone claims to have a “fashion” influenced style, simply ask yourself, “Does it look like it could have come from a high end fashion magazine?”  Very few photographers in central Indiana could ever really make valid claims to photograph that way.  Has the photographer you are interviewing been published in magazines from a fashion perspective?  Can they show you copies of the magazine? Silver Lotus Photography specializes in this style of photography.

Alternative – Alternative has taken on many different meanings lately because of all the new exciting techniques available to photographers with the digital revolution.  Many photographers could claim to be alternative because they are not photographing in a traditional style which has been common for so long.  A suggestion to anyone checking out an “alternative” photographer would be to look for consistency through out an entire wedding and examine if Photoshop was used as an enhancement to their work or as a means to save their work from a lack of technical understanding.

by Joseph Brewster
Member IWN, PPA, & NAPP.  Lead photographer at Silver Lotus Photography

Everything is getting done but please bear with us during our transition.  We are relocating and downsizing due to the death of Cindy.  Joe is spending much of his time with Cindy's two kids until things settle down.  The oldest is 5 now and the youngest is almost 9 months.  We are going to focus only on weddings and commercial work now and will not be doing any more family portraiture work other than one weekend in the fall.

Please email us at silverlotusphoto@gmail.com until our phone lines are hooked up in the new office.

Here are a few from the oldest's birthday party.

Check below the break for a few photos from the day.  More to come soon!

Amazingly gorgeous shoes.  I can see why the dog loved the first pair so much!

 What a grand exit!

Thank you guys for a wonderful wedding and enjoy the beach and sun in Mexico!

The weather was kind to us this past weekend for Chelsea & Danny's wedding at University Baptist on Hannah Ave just south of downtown Indianapolis.  The day was absolutely gorgeous.  God must have known it was Chelsea & Danny's big day.

The excitement started early for the girls in the morning down at Split Endz  Salon in the heart of Franklin, IN.

Split Endz did a wonderful job on everyone's hair!

The men looked sleek in their black tuxes.

Chelsea's sister doing a beautiful job on the back of the dress 

Personal favorite!  I think many will agree

No heels necessary for this girl.   :) 

I loved the cake design.  It tasted great too!

Father-daughter dances always bring a tear to everyone's eye. 

Danny was definitely the life of the reception at the Atrium on Thompson in Indianapolis. 

Chelsea didn't disappoint either 

Thank you Danny and Chelsea for a wonderful day!  Have a wonderful time in Mexico! 

Cynthia Achenbach, the Cindy that worked here part time, was murdered last week.  It has been very devastating to everyone here and in Joe's family.  Please send emails to silverlotusphoto@gmail.com to contact us as we will not be in the office often until things have settled. 

Her children are now in Joe's care. 

We finally took the time to photograph Lili the other day.  Isn't she cute?  And no, she isn't Joe's.  He isn't the only one with red hair lol

Following up from the other day, we were able to photograph Michelle Obama at a rally in town on Wednesday. 

 We try to keep our political feelings out of work and we still plan too.

We are struggling to find a way to a Clinton campaign rally and a McCain rally if they are ever in the Indianapolis area.

I had the pleasure of photographing Barack Obama as he traveled across the state.  If it is possible, I plan to photograph the other candidates if the schedule permits.  We will be photographing Michelle Obama tomorrow evening.

Here is my favorite from Saturday.

Indianapolis's Best Wedding Photographers

This couple was wonderful.   I could say we started at Mode Salon but I will tell you, I started at the church the night before at the rehearsal.  We always make it a point of going to the rehearsal to learn how the day will go and check for electrical outlets and meet families but it isn't everyday I go to the rehearsal dinner.  Other people have invited and I usually turn them down but I felt like going.  We went to Papa Joe's in Brownsburg and I ate some amazing Sausage Tortellini in Tomato Cream Basil Sauce.  It was fabulous.  It gave me an opportunity to really get to know a lot more about the families and friends in the wedding.  It totally changes the way people look at the camera when they are comfortable with the photographer.  It was nice to talk to Carl's cousin Han during dinner and hear about life in California.  I wish him the best.  I still think his mother looks young enough to be his cousin.  Ok... fast forward to Saturday.... We show up at Mode Salon at 71st and Keystone where Rhonda was busy whipping up some hair.  Ellie and Madalyn were so cute as you can tell in the pics below.  We then traveled all the way into Brownsburg to Calvary Untied Methodist.  It was recently built and like most new churches, is beautifully lit with soft natural light.  Pastor Todd was very warm and inviting.  Delisa started on some makeup.   Ambria & Amy stayed with her while she got ready and I went to photograph things around the church and and the guys when they arrived.  The ceremony went off without a problem but I don't think Ann will ever forget the reading from I Corinthians - LOL - she read from an old Bible that belonged to Delisa's family for generations but she had problems getting the Old English out of her had all night.   We traveled to Primo's for the reception after photographing the formals.  Primo's is always a good place for me and they always have pretty good food.  Chef even made some special peach cobbler as a treat.  If you like cobblers, you'd have loved it.  Event One DJs spun the music all night while B&C Digital Media Productions recorded it all on video.  I can't wait to hear from Delisa and Carl what they thought of the video messages left for them that Cybil recorded.  Delisa's family reminded me of how families should be.  You can tell she has a strong family and friend base that is very supportive.  Carl had family and friends traveling from Alabama and California and obviously cared so much for them both.  I know it was very important to Carl & Delisa to show appreciation to his family back in Korea for all of their support over the years.  I only hope the photographs and the video can show them how much fun, joy, and love Delisa and Carl have for one another.  May we all be as fortunate.

The best to you both!

Feel free to leave comments of best wishes to Delisa and Carl so they have something to read when they get back from ITALY!!!

Indianapolis Wedding Photographer - 2008 Silver Lotus Photography

By request I was asked to post a single picture so I could spread some smiles among the wedding party so here you go... So sorry, she twisted my arm.

Hermanjit & Anthony

This wedding was fantastic.  I was nervous about this wedding because we never met Emily or Pete prior to the wedding.  Since they live in Chicago, they couldn't make it in to the studio to meet us.  Luckily we did enough talking through email, mail, and phone plus our meeting at the rehearsal that I knew I would be able to photograph the people and things they found most important. 

 We started at St. Mark's United Methodist up in Carmel at 126th and Gray rd.  I know I mentioned from my 9/29/07 wedding that I really liked that church.  I think it works very well for photography and the people there seem very dedicated to ensuring the success of every wedding. Theresa, Lydia, and Pastor Burt were a pleasure. 

Emily's mother, Lynn, was such a help on the phone.  You could tell from the conversation alone that it was going to be a fun wedding with a good crowd.  My guess was right because they had a great group in the wedding party.  The groomsmen all had a great sense of humor and brought a Nintendo Wii system to play during the wait of the ladies getting ready.  Bowlers and Rockstars... what a bunch. :)

Pete's brother gave one of the greatest BestMan speeches and I will always remember how Pete became Mr. Super Woooo. 

 Oakhill Mansion on 116th street is always a pleasure to go to for a reception.  The food is always good there so I could never complain :)

I was glad to see Wes, from Event 1 DJs, brought a light set.  They make all the difference in the world in changing the dance floor ambiance as you will see when you look through the shots.

Lastly, I have to mention, the ring set Pete had made was very nice.  It had 3 generations of diamonds in band and engagement ring.  It was very nice and had a very sentimental meaning to them.  It seemed very important to Pete that he thank someone in the family with a nice photograph.

For all you guys and gals in Detroit and Chicago - we travel :)

Enjoy the photos everyone and leave Emily and Pete a message and let them know what you thought about the wedding. Thank you everyone for the great night!

-Joe

Pretty shoes!

Anna putting her makeup on

You can't tell from the photograph but the flowers smelled amazing.

I love the shade of green used in the sash. 

Tracy had mad bow making skills.

What did he say to make you laugh?

Aren't they cute?

Dad walking Emily down the aisle

Emily kept making all of us laugh because of the number of times she grabbed the handkerchief from Anna.

Exchange of Vows at St. Mark's United Methodist

The Cake

First Dance

A good portion of that good looking group in the wedding party and their pals from Detroit.

The Rings - See the pretty diamonds

This was a very fun and challenging wedding to photograph.  We started the day at 1pm photographing the ladies getting ready.  About an hour in a fire erupted at the post office a couple blocks away and IPL decided to cut the electricity to the area so we were suddenly without light other than the dramatic lighting afforded to us by the windows in the Scottish Rite.   The Scottish Rite is a beautiful place for any event but stunning for a wedding.  So we have no electricity and Ashley, the Event Manager for the Scottish Rite, began making calls and had generators hooked up and candles delivered and decked out all over the place - It really added to the ambiance.  It was very difficult to shoot under but we could handle because we use a lot of low light lenses.  Laura was hoping for lots of candlelight and she got it.  We really took advantage of all the natural dramatic light coming in through the windows and since the weather was perfect for us, we took all the formals outside.   As we prepared for the processional and everyone was lined up to enter down the aisle at almost 6pm, the lights suddenly came back on everywhere.  Ashley ran and adjusted the lights to where we had discussed looking their best at the rehersal and a minute later the music started.  Awesome shots and amazing light - we were very happy.  As soon as it was over, we all had up to the ballroom for the reception.  I could go on and on about what a different stunning place the Scottish Rite is but just look at the pictures and see what I mean.  The food was catered by Thomas Caterers of Distinction and it was delicious.  Carrot suffle was super yummy. 

Thank you guys for a wonderful opportunity to photograph your wedding.  It was a joy to listen to Alan's speech about how you met and the humor he was able to add in... I hope your programming for love never gets corrupted  with bad memory ;)

I hope that wasn't too cheesy... anyway, I am not a writer, I am photographer so look at the pictures.  Brandon, Marcos, and I thank you!

Make sure to look at the images and tell them how much you care for them!!!

I just love this couple and their families.  I photographed Melissa & Jeremy's Wedding a few years back (bridesmaid & groomsmen) and now I was able to photograph Jeremy's little sister's wedding.  I learned alot about this couple that day too... like they started dating in the 8th grade.  That was amazing.  Holy Name Catholic church is a beautiful church that I believe is very well lit and they have always treated me very well.  Not all churches are so kind to the "hired help" but the church coordinators treat the brides there like their own kids I guess.  I have had several weddings there and they have always been a success. 

So the day started really close at the Bride's home getting ready. Lots of rushing from getting pushed behind but everyone worked together and kept it on time.  I even helped to put eyelashes on some of the ladies. As soon as we got to the church the guys were there and ready for the most part.  The timing of everything just kept pace and we stayed on time for everything.  Joey, stuck to the bride right before she walked down the aisle and then managed to run and tuck herself behind the sacristy and shoot from behind the glass and get a unique perspective of the couple that no one else could have been able to get.  After the ceremony, formals followed very quickly but because the weather wasn't so glamourous we decided to go straight to Primo's and get the party started.  Josh Jacobs got it all started as he was the DJ that night.  You can check out his contact info at www.joshjacobs.ws

Primo's is consistently good and the food has never been a problem.  I have photographed dozens of weddings there over the years and I have personally never encountered a problem there.  Mary Ann lines everything out to make sure the night goes as planned.  Some special lighting and decor helped to add to the ambiance and totally changed the mood in the room. 

I love the speeches that were given... You know they are good when Karrie (MOH) can get ya weepy... well so did Mom.  It is the best feeling in the world photographing a wedding that you know is a success.  Seeing Melissa is now expecting a child years after I photographed her wedding and remembering all those years ago that Lindsey was dating Jim then really brings it home.

They were such a cute couple and you could tell that they just completely fit and complimented each other.  I expect to see their kids in a few years too.

;)

Give this couple your best and let them know what you though of their wedding and don't forget to look at the pictures by clicking in to see my favorite 14.

Thanks guys!